fourteen | oo26 [ action // voice ]

[ Xion had walked into the clothing store in the village square as her normal self. Just a sixteen year old Poppet picking up some warmer clothes for winter, nothing new.

She darts back outside just a minute later, looking deeply bewildered and rather ... different. For one, she's suddenly three inches taller than she was a moment ago, and somehow her hair has grown to hang a good four inches past her shoulders. Not to mention she seems to have filled out that teenage body of hers. This is definitely a woman, one who seems to be in roughly her mid twenties.

Considering she was just in the clothing store, she's dressed rather impractically for the weather in loose, flowing black pants and a black camisole. It's an outfit more appropriate for working out in... and given the bow she has in her hands and the quiver of arrows on her back, it looks like that's what she was just doing.

An arrow is now nocked on that bow as she stares around in growing alarm, before her eyes narrow in thought and frustration. Down goes the bow, and the arrow goes back in its quiver.

Give her a moment or two, and she'll have darted back into the clothing store to grab a coat before heading to the fountain, bow once again over her chest, reading her journal as she goes.

When she speaks, her voice has changed a little, too -- it's only slightly lower, but somehow she just sounds older. ]

This isn't... this isn't the Luceti I was just in. Just a second ago it was summer, and I'd been... it doesn't matter.

[ this young woman is frowning rather severely at her journal, her mind obviously working a mile a minute as she thinks. ]

... is there something strange going on? Can anyone tell me when this is? What year is it? Something doesn't seem right.

[ there's a pause, now, and a little bit of anxiety as she proceeds. ] ... is everyone still--? ... dad? Axel, Roxas? ... Riku?

[ unconsciously, Xion raises a hand, pressing her fingers to her mouth in worry and in thought. The observant may notice that there seems to be a plain gold band around her ring finger. Surely that can't be a wedding ring? She'll drop her hand before you can get a closer look, though. ]

Please, tell me what's going on.

[1) different bracket style just because. but also to cut down on the length of this thing.

2) she looks something like this, only with the hair midway down her chest instead. spoiler as to who she married. 8|

3) all replies will come from

reactualized and y'all better appreciate because making that shit took FOREVER. also please do comment here if you want Xion to have knowledge of a future version of your character!

4) I'm tagging like a beast EVERYWHERE right now, please do ping me if I missed something somewhere.]

(edit; WHOOPS I just realized there's a bit of a time discrepancy in some threads, as to what time of the year it was when Xion was poofed back. :|a gonna just handwave it. sorry!)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ sdkjgskj must you ask. her eyebrows go up, but then this incredibly tender look comes over her face. she brings up her hands so she can give her ring a gentle twist. ]

... we were standing on one of the bridges late one night, talking. It was clear that night, and the moon was almost full, so it was pretty bright, and the water looked beautiful. I don't know what made it occur to me, but I asked him if he ever missed seeing other worlds, and going to different places.

[ reflexively, she looks up, like she can see that same sky right now. ]

He didn't say anything for a moment, then told me there was something he'd wanted to ask me. Then he just got down on one knee and pulled the ring box out of his pocket.

[ she folds her right hand over her left and clasps them both to her chest, still smiling. Riku had chosen her, to stay with her and be with her forever, over the chance of ever again getting to travel the worlds and see all those stars. ]

... it was a nice proposal.

[Of course he must ask! He watches her and can't help but smile as he sees her expression and he unconsciously fiddles with the ring on his hand, the ring Richard gave him for his birthday, as he listens to Xion talk.

At last, warmly--]

It sounds nice. As long as he makes you happy, then... [Naoki gives a firm nod.]

He does. More than anything!

[ though his fiddling has drawn her attention to his own ring. she can't help but consider it for a moment, smiling thoughtfully, wondering if she should tell him anything.

truthfully, she wonders if he may already know, just a bit.

somewhere along the line, he'd told her the story of that ring, but with a quirk of her lips she can't help but ask, all innocence. ]

When did you get your ring, Naoki?

[Naoki grins at that, pleased to hear it and then he blinks. Begins to redden at the question, fiddling and twisting the ring back and forth on his finger.]

This is, um...my birthday, just a little while ago, Richard... It was a gift from him. I, ah...

[ OH NAOKI, THOSE THOUGHT BUBBLES. Xion's more tempted than ever to tell him it'll work out -- but she knows it's not her place. However... she can ask.

Gently, she takes his hand, running her thumb over the ring. Looking up at him with a soft smile, she places her other hand on top of the one she's holding. ]

Naoki, I can tell you if you and he are still there, you know. Ten years from now, in the Luceti I know. But only if you really, truly want to know.

[Naoki gazes down with a bit of surprise as his hand is taken, and then his expression softens into a smile. His eyes get wider at the words, and for a moment his mouth opens and closes.]

Please, I'd like to know.

[ ... her smile widens, and warms. she can't help it. after giving his hand a squeeze, well ... she keeps this simple. ]

... you know, I have a lot of precious memories from the last few years, things I remember more clearly than everything else. Being asked to be one of the bridesmaids at your wedding to to Richard is definitely one of those memories. [ beams at him. ]

[Naoki gawks for a few moments, not sure if he's heard correctly at first...but then a wide, stupidly pleased grin spreads over his face and oh man. His thought bubble is probably just filled with hearts or something as equally dorky.]

I... I... [SO STUPIDLY HAPPY RIGHT NOW. Helplessly beaming at her.]

[ okay, she starts to laugh, she can't help it. it's so cute to see such a dorky reaction, and ... well, she can't help but be warmed by his happiness. ]

Even up to the very last thing I can remember before arriving here, you and Richard were - are! - one of the happiest married couples in Luceti.

[ she gives his hand one last squeeze, then lets it go. ] So whatever this ring meant... well, there's only one place it's going to lead.

[So happy--so very happy. So that means Richard never found anyone better, that Naoki was able to make him happy and... He smiles, ducks his head.]

I...I'm looking forward to it. Experiencing things with him and... [He looks down at the ring fondly, then at her.] Things with everyone. You. A lot'll happen in ten years, huh?

You have no idea. [ she laughs again. ] But I wouldn't trade these ten years for the world. We still live with the Malnosso, there are still experiments, and bad things still happen, but... this life is what makes me happy. Being with the people I love in the place I think of as home... I can't think of anything better.

[Naoki smiles and dips his head slightly in a nod.] Have to take the bad with the good...right?

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